Joshua Tucker

Joshua Tucker

Senior Engineer at Engine by Starling

Calibrate Before You Accelerate: The Smart Way to Bias Toward Action in a New Role

A bias toward action is a superpower only when applied correctly - here's how to frame it as moving decisively after building context, not rushing in before you have it.

My recent move from Monzo to Engine by Starling brought a familiar feeling rushing back: the intense, almost overwhelming urge to prove my worth immediately. When starting a new job, it’s completely natural to want to justify the company’s decision to hire you by making an instant impact. We want to show up, roll up our sleeves, and start fixing things.

But a bias toward action is a superpower only when applied correctly - action without context is just noise. If you swing a sledgehammer before looking at the blueprints, you might knock down a load-bearing wall. Here’s how to frame your bias toward action not as rushing, but as moving decisively only after you’ve built a foundation of context.

A stick figure swings a sledgehammer at a brick wall with eyes closed, while an unrolled blueprint on the ground clearly labels it a load-bearing wall not to be demolished

Phase 1: the collection period

Listening is an action if done deliberately. During your first few weeks, focus on being active in your passivity.

  • Map the terrain. Identify key stakeholders and observe team dynamics before suggesting changes.
  • Investigate the “why.” Apply Chesterton’s Fence - don’t remove a barrier or criticize a legacy process until you know exactly why it was built in the first place.

Two panels: a stick figure swings an axe at a fence without looking beyond it, then discovers - once the fence is gone - that it was keeping a bull out

  • Gather data. Read historical documentation, shadow your peers, and conduct 1:1s focused entirely on discovery.

Phase 2: the synthesis phase

This is the bridge between collecting information and taking action. It requires dedicated, analytical thought.

  • Connect the dots. Look for recurring pain points mentioned independently by different stakeholders across the business.

A stick figure stands in front of a corkboard, using red string to connect several sticky notes together, revealing a pattern

  • Categorize opportunities. Separate the low-hanging fruit - quick, low-risk wins - from the complex, systemic issues that will require a long-term strategy.

Phase 3: strategic acceleration

Now it’s time to unleash your bias toward action safely and effectively.

  • Start small and public. Execute a quick win that directly makes someone else’s job easier. This builds immediate political capital.
  • Share your hypothesis. Before launching a major project, write a one-pager outlining your intended action and share it for feedback.
  • Shift gears. Gradually transition your working ratio from 90% listening and 10% doing to 20% listening and 80% doing.

A stick figure's hand moves a lever along a dial, shifting the needle further toward one end

None of this is about moving slowly - it’s about making sure that when you do move, you’re pushing on something that actually needs pushing.

So, the next time you find yourself in a new environment, fighting the urge to fix everything on day one: take a breath. Put down the sledgehammer. Pick up the blueprints. The real work will still be there when you’re actually ready to build.

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